Trabolgan's Ukrainian residents told to pay for meals they don't want

Ukrainian residents in the former Trabolgan holiday village in East Cork have been told they can no longer make their own food on the premises.

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that many residents in Trabolgan had been granted permission to stay, after the government announced a phased wind-down of State-contracted accommodation.

Those granted permission to stay were people with vulnerabilities, or particular family circumstances.

A spokesperson for the group still living in Trabolgan said: “Our accommodation units have fully equipped kitchens and facilities for self-catering. On 10 October 2026, residents were informed in writing that catering would be optional and that we could use our allocated food allowance to purchase groceries and prepare our own meals.

“All residents chose self-catering, signed the relevant forms and relied on this arrangement when purchasing food.” 

However, on October 14, they were informed that catering would become compulsory from October 17, with advance payment required. 

The Trabolgan management team has now contacted residents saying they have been instructed that all contracts are to be operated on a full-board basis, meaning providers are required to provide meals and snacks to all residents.

Under these new arrangements, residents are provided breakfast cereal weekly, tea and coffee monthly, and a “prepared lunch snack” and a main evening meal daily.

They said that residents who have been approved to remain at Trabolgan must pay €70 per adult and €35 per child weekly for this service, which is their entire weekly food allowance.

“A refusal to pay this contribution will be considered by the Department as a refusal of an offer of suitable accommodation and you can be asked to vacate the accommodation,” 

management added.

The spokesperson said: “This sudden change has caused considerable concern, particularly as residents have already spent money on groceries.

“We are particularly concerned that compulsory catering is being introduced despite the availability of fully equipped kitchens and the unanimous preference of residents to prepare their own meals.

“Self-catering allows families to choose appropriate food, accommodate children’s nutritional needs, manage allergies and dietary restrictions, respect cultural preferences, and make responsible use of their limited budgets.

“We are also concerned about the proposed food provision, which reportedly includes cereal, tea and coffee, a snack instead of a full lunch, and a prepared evening meal that residents must reheat themselves.

“Residents have not been adequately consulted about menus, ingredients or individual dietary needs, including those of children."

“Furthermore, the short notice and the reported possibility that failure to pay for catering could jeopardise residents’ accommodation raise serious concerns that require clarification.” 

They added: “We understand the importance of providing appropriate support to people under Temporary Protection. However, we believe that arrangements should also respect residents’ dignity, autonomy and individual family needs, particularly where children are concerned.” 

The Echo contacted Trabolgan and the Department of Justice for comment.